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Liverpool 4 – 2 Tottenham – The Postmortem

This game offered very little stress for the home side, as Champions League qualification was assured, and the Premier League title chase was all but ended last weekend. The frenetic pace of this division has played havoc with the fatigue and stress levels of the Anfield squad, which seemed like a weight lifted on this bank holiday Sunday, where brilliant goals and tremendous patterns of play spread like wildfire through this Merseyside encounter.

https://twitter.com/anfieldindex/status/1787208256361804286

Below is how the team lined up, with match details following.

The Starting Eleven
GK – Alisson Becker
RB – Trent Alexander Arnold
RCB – Ibrahima Konaté
LCB – Virgil van Dijk (c)
LB – Andy Robertson
RCM – Harvey Elliott
CDM – Wataru Endō
LCM – Alexis Mac Allister
RF – Mohamed Salah
CF – Darwin Núñez
LF – Luis Díaz

Subs
Joe Gomez – Andy Robertson (65 mins)
Stefan Bajčetić – Wataru Endō (65 mins)
Ryan Gravenberch – Alexis Mac Allister (75 mins)
Darwin Núñez – Luis Díaz (75 mins)
Dominik Szoboszlai – Harvey Elliott (83 mins)

Goals
Liverpool 1 – 0 Tottenham
Mohamed Salah (Cody Gakpo) 16 mins

Liverpool 2 – 0 Tottenham
Andy Robertson – 45 mins

Liverpool 3 – 0 Tottenham
Cody Gakpo (Harvey Elliott) 50 mins

Liverpool 4 – 0 Tottenham
Harvey Elliott (Mohamed Salah) 59 mins

Liverpool 4 – 1 Tottenham
Richarlison (Brennan Johnson) 72 mins

Liverpool 4 – 2 Tottenham
Son Heung-Min (Richarlison) 77 mins

Important Match Stats

Possession
Liverpool 45% – 55% Tottenham

Total Shots
Liverpool 25 – 11 Tottenham

Crosses
Liverpool 27 – 15 Tottenham

Corner Kicks
Liverpool 8 – 3 Tottenham

Goalkeeper Saves
Liverpool 4 – 8 Tottenham

The First Half

The opening period of this game was all about a red swarm setting themselves upon a wounded opponent. Tottenham have overachieved this season. However, their capitulation has been quite staggering in recent weeks. As a vibrant Liverpool team ran through the Lilly Whites, it became very evident very early on, that this game would be an uplift from Klopp’s previous endeavours.

This game was a blessed return to Trent Alexander Arnold wider than usual in a system that has too often steered to the hybrid initiative. His desire to create width seemed to open the field and opportunities even more so, as the movement and flow of the attacking assets overcame a bewildered away defence. With the minutes ticking by and as the away rearguard got pulled apart little by little, fresher legs and keener athleticism brought about the game’s opening goal. Despite some controversy surrounding Mohamed Salah this past week, he was able to head his team into a very deserved lead on sixteen minutes, as he peeled to the back post to meet a deep Cody Gakpo cross.

As the game started settling and Spurs looked to hold their own, the confidence and pace of the home side eventually overwhelmed and created goal number two of the contest. The goal-scoring antics of Scotland’s international captain, Andy Robertson, continued from last weekend, where he was once again in the right position to slot home from inside the opposition box. The score reflected the dominance of the Reds, and for once in what seemed like a long while, Liverpool looked the part.

The half ended with a scoreline of 2-0, allowing at least halftime of happiness and relief for most of the stadium.

The Second Half

No changes were made on resumption of the second half as the Reds started with even more vigour and determination. This half was very much a case of Harvey Elliott dazzling his way to the man of the match award, with a superb lofted cross finding the 6ft 4inch Cody Gakpo in the prime position to head into the corner of the net. Continuing super interlinking play between the England under-21 star, Mohamed Salah, and Trent Alexander Arnold was a key factor in this performance, and the 21-year-old goalmaker soon elevated himself to goal taker. After some sublime passing, the Egyptian King eventually laid on the chance for the scorer to unleash an unstoppable strike from the edge of the box.

At 4-0, the visitors seemed in complete disarray, which soon enabled the substitutions to perhaps stutter the remainder of the game. Further opportunities came and went, and the Reds conceded two weak goals to tarnish what should have been a complete thumping. Despite the fall of late, the quality of many men in red cannot be questioned, which enables a firm ball of clay for Arne Slot to mould next season.

What Are My Final Thoughts…?

This was a game that meant little yet allowed spirits to be lifted exponentially. The whimper of April can now hopefully be erased, and the final days of a tremendous German manager can be excitedly remembered.

Next up is Aston Villa, where a trip to the midlands awaits.

Steven Smith

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